10 Unexpected Dangers of Using Energy Drinks with Alcohol

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there is a dramatic increase in mixing alcohol and energy drinks. Unfortunately, many of these combinations are dangerous and toxic. Everyone knows that caffeine and alcohol are addictive separately. Combined they present several dangers that they do not have when taken separately.

1. Increased Intoxication

The caffeine in energy drinks causes the alcohol to work more effectively. When you combine the two you become more intoxicated faster. Unfortunately caffeine masks some of the sedative properties of alcohol so you might not realize exactly how intoxicated you are.

2. Risky Behavior

Since you get intoxicated faster you are more likely to engage in risky behavior such as unprotected sex or drinking and driving. Alcohol despite the presence of energy drinks still lowers inhibitions.

3. Increased Risk of Heart Failure

Both alcohol and energy drinks can cause damage to your heart. Energy drinks increase your heart rate and raise your blood pressure, this causes your heart to work harder, increasing your risk of heart failure.

4. Increased Blood Pressure

The increase in blood pressure associated with both alcohol and energy drinks may become permanent. When your body becomes accustomed to the increase in blood pressure, it damages your body’s ability to regulate its blood pressure.

5. Increased Alcohol Consumption

Since you do not feel as intoxicated, you tend to drink more than you would if you were just drinking alcohol. Many people who mix energy drinks and alcohol do not realize exactly how much alcohol they’ve consumed until something negative happens.

6. Risk of Sexual Assault

Whenever alcohol is involved there is an increased risk of sexual assault. Energy drinks decrease your ability to tell exactly how drunk you are so you are more likely to be taken advantage of or that you will take advantage of someone in a similar condition.

7. Increased Risk of Binge Drinking

In studies done by the Centers for Disease control, people who mix energy drinks and alcohol tend to be binge drinkers. They drink a large amount in a short time. Since energy drink deadens your ability to tell how much you are drinking, you drink more than you ordinarily would in a binge drinking session.

8. Increased Risk of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Since binge drinking increases as does the risk of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a deadly consequence of stopping drinking suddenly. It causes seizures and sometimes death.

10 Commonly Overlooked Dangers of Energy Drinks

9. Increased Likelihood of Addiction

Both energy drinks and alcohol are addictive. The chances of getting addicted to either drug are extremely high. When combined this chance increases. Many people become addicted to both and a dual addiction is harder to treat than a single one to either caffeine or alcohol.

10. Fewer Treatment Opportunities

Since the addiction to both energy drinks and alcohol is a relatively new one, there are not many treatment centers that specialize in the treatment of both. Many of the treatment centers are only set up to treat one addiction or the other. In order to find a treatment center for both energy drinks and alcohol, call us at 800-605-6597 Who Answers?. We can help.